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Ride the wave to perfect harmony in Surfing Warrior pose: Yoga Moves

The Water Guardians is a public sculpture located close to the mouth of the Don River that reminds us that our rivers and lake are the life source of our city. The Canary District’s striking blue sentinels are the inspiration for a fun and practical pose called Surfing Warrior. Taught to me by Toronto-based yoga teacher Nicky Poole, this dynamic take on High Lunge is a brilliant way to improve your functional balance.

Begin in a relaxed standing forward bend at the front of your yoga mat, with knees softly bent and finger tips on the ground.

Keeping the right knee stacked over the ankle, step your left foot way back into a low lunge.

Lift your hands as you bring your torso up into a vertical position. Test out your balance here. If it feels precarious, like you’re standing on a tightrope, move your front foot a little to the right and/or your back foot a little to the left.

Bend your back knee halfway to the ground.

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Now pretend you are standing on a surfboard. Move your upper body in every conceivable direction. Challenge yourself by actively disrupting your balance and working to regain it.

If you lose your balance, simply catch yourself by putting a hand down.

Hang ten for ten or more playful breaths before changing sides.

Water is Life

The Water Guardians is a public sculpture located in the Canary District. Conceived and created by Canadian artists Jennifer Marman and Daniel Borins, in collaborations with U.S. architect James Khamsi, the large-scale installation can be found on Front St. E. at Tannery Rd. Children of all ages will enjoy bouncing on the piece’s squishy foundations.

YuMee Chung demonstrates the Surfing Warrior pose in front of The Water Guardians, a large-scale installation found in Toronto's Canary District, on Front St. E. at Tannery Rd. (Anne-Marie Jackson / Toronto Star)

YuMee Chung is a recovering lawyer who teaches yoga in Toronto. She is on the faculty of a number of yoga teacher training programs and leads international yoga retreats. Learn more about her at http://padmani.com/padmani.comEND .

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